Method and apparatus for peer-to-peer connection using wireless local area network (LAN) in mobile communication terminal

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and a method for Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connection using a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) in a mobile communication terminal are provided. The method includes detecting a P2P connection attempt of a new terminal not connected to P2P communication, during P2P communication with at least one terminal, determining whether the mobile communication terminal operates as a slave terminal or a group owner in the P2P connection, and when the mobile communication terminal operates as the slave terminal, transmitting a signal indicating that the P2P connection attempt of the new terminal is detected, to a terminal operating as the group owner in the P2P connection.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation application of a prior applicationSer. No. 12/903,532, filed on Oct. 13, 2010, which claimed the benefitunder 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) of a Korean patent application filed in theKorean Intellectual Property Office on Oct. 13, 2009 and assigned Ser.No. 10-2009-0097146, the entire disclosure of each of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus forPeer-to-Peer (P2P) connection using a wireless Local Area Network (LAN)in a mobile communication terminal. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to a method and an apparatus for connecting at leastone terminal with another terminal in process of P2P communication usingthe P2P communication in a mobile communication terminal

2. Description of the Related Art

A wireless local area communication network, which is defined by theInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11standard, defines an infrastructure mode and an ad-hoc mode. The ad-hocmode allows a plurality of IEEE 802.11 standard radio stations todirectly communicate with each other without using access points orother wired network connections, which is also referred to as aPeer-to-Peer (P2P) mode. The P2P mode is useful by configuring awireless network rapidly and easily without a wireless infrastructure.However, the P2P mode resource data rate is limited to 11 Mbps, securityis limited, and it is difficult to reduce power consumption.

Hence, recently, a P2P mode including a group owner and a slave terminalis suggested.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional P2P connection with a structureincluding the group owner and the slave terminal between mobilecommunication terminals. FIG. 2 is a conventional P2P connectable rangeof a mobile communication terminal.

In FIG. 1, a terminal 100 wanting a P2P operation searches a P2Pterminal 102 in its vicinity through a P2P discovery procedure in step110. Upon finding the P2P terminal 102, the terminal 100 wanting the P2Poperation builds a P2P network with the searched P2P terminal 102through a P2P group owner negotiation procedure and a channelnegotiation procedure in step 112. As a result, when the terminal 100wanting the P2P operation is set to the slave terminal and the searchedP2P terminal 102 is set to the group owner, the terminal 100 determinedas the slave terminal attempts a connection to the terminal 102determined as the group owner and thus two terminals 100 and 102 areconnected with the P2P communication in step 114.

However, in the group owner/slave terminal structure, when the slaveterminal, not the group owner terminal, detects the P2P connectionattempt of another terminal, the other terminal is not connectablealthough the other terminal is in the P2P connection area. For example,in FIG. 2, when a terminal B 202 and a terminal C 204 are in the P2Pconnection and the terminal B 202 serving as the slave terminal detectsthe P2P connection attempt of another terminal A 200 as illustrated inFIG. 2, the P2P connection of the terminal A 200 with the terminal B 202and the terminal C 204 is impossible because the terminal A 200, whichtravels in the connection area of the terminal B 202 serving as theslave terminal, is out of the connection area of the terminal C 204serving as the group owner.

Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for connecting amobile communication terminal out of a connection area with one of aplurality of mobile communication terminals in a P2P connection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to address the above-mentionedproblems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantagesdescribed below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is toprovide a method and an apparatus for a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connectionusing a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) in a mobile communicationterminal.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for additionally connecting another terminal in process ofcommunication with P2P terminals in a mobile communication terminal.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method andan apparatus for P2P-connecting another terminal by re-negotiating agroup owner terminal when a mobile communication terminal in P2Pconnection detects a P2P connection attempt of the other terminal.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for P2Pconnection using a wireless LAN in a mobile communication terminal isprovided. The method includes detecting a P2P connection attempt of anew terminal not connected to P2P communication, during P2Pcommunication with at least one terminal, determining whether the mobilecommunication terminal operates as a slave terminal or a group owner inthe P2P connection, and when the mobile communication terminal operatesas the slave terminal, transmitting a signal indicating that the P2Pconnection attempt of the new terminal is detected, to a terminaloperating as the group owner in the P2P connection.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus forP2P connection using a wireless LAN in a mobile communication terminalis provided. The apparatus includes a controller for detecting a P2Pconnection attempt of a new terminal not connected to P2P communication,during P2P communication with at least one terminal, and determiningwhether the mobile communication terminal operates as a slave terminalor a group owner in the P2P connection; and a communication module for,when the mobile communication terminal operates as the slave terminal,transmitting a signal indicating that the P2P connection attempt of thenew terminal is detected, to a terminal operating as the group owner inthe P2P connection under control of the controller.

Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings,discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certainexemplary embodiments the present invention will be more apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connection with astructure including a group owner and a slave terminal between mobilecommunication terminals;

FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional P2P connectable range of a mobilecommunication terminal;

FIG. 3 illustrates a P2P connection through group owner re-negotiationbetween mobile communication terminals according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates operations of a mobile communication terminal servingas a slave terminal in a P2P connection according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates operations of a mobile communication terminal servingas a group owner in a P2P connection according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood torefer to like parts, components and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings isprovided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplaryembodiments of the invention as defined by the claims and theirequivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in thatunderstanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary.Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize thatvarious changes and modifications of the embodiments described hereincan be made without departing from scope and spirit of the invention. Inaddition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may beomitted for clarity and conciseness.

The terms and words used in the following description and claims are notlimited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by theinventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of theinvention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in theart that the following description of exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention is provided for illustration purpose only and not forthe purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claimsand their equivalents.

It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the”include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.Thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” includes referenceto one or more of such surfaces.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method and anapparatus of a mobile communication terminal which is in Peer-to-Peer(P2P) connection with at least one mobile communication terminal, forconnecting with another mobile communication terminal using the P2Pcommunication.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide twoterminals that are in the P2P connection and the terminal serving as aslave terminal detects a P2P connection attempt of another terminal. Theexemplary embodiments of the present invention are equally applicable toa case where a plurality of terminals are connected using the P2Pcommunication and one of the terminals serving as the slave terminaldetects the P2P connection of another terminal.

FIG. 3 illustrates a P2P connection through group owner re-negotiationbetween mobile communication terminals according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a terminal B 302 wanting a P2P operation examineswhether there is a P2P terminal in the vicinity through a P2P discoveryprocedure in step 310. Upon detecting a terminal C 304 as a neighbor P2Pterminal, the terminal B 302 wanting the P2P operation establishes a P2Pnetwork through a P2P group owner negotiation procedure and a channelnegotiation procedure with the detected P2P terminal C 304 in step 312.Herein, when the terminal B 302 is determined as a slave terminal andthe terminal C 304 is determined as a group owner according to the groupowner negotiation, the terminal B 302 set to the slave terminal attemptsa connection to the terminal C 304 set to the group owner in step 314.Thus, the terminal B 302 and the terminal C 304 are connected with a P2Pcommunication.

A terminal A 300 checks for a neighbor P2P terminal through the P2Pdiscovery procedure in step 316, and the terminal B 302 serving as theslave terminal receives a discovery signal which is transmitted in theP2P discovery procedure of the terminal A 300.

To determine whether the terminal A 300 is connectable to the terminal C304 serving as the group owner, the terminal B 302 serving as the slaveterminal transmits a P2P discovery notification signal and receives aresponse signal of the P2P discovery notification from the terminal C304 in step 318. If it is determined that the discovery signal of theterminal A 300 is not received, the terminal C 304 transmits a P2Pdiscovery notification response signal indicating that the group ownermay be delegated, to the terminal B 302 in step 318. In contrast, if itis determined that the discovery signal of the terminal A 300 isreceived, the terminal C 304 transmits a P2P discovery notificationresponse signal indicative of a reception of the discovery signal of theterminal A 300, to the terminal B 302 in step 318, and then operates toconnect to the terminal A 300 with the P2P communication. The P2Pconnection is carried out in the same manner as a conventional P2Pconnection.

The terminal B 302 receiving the P2P discovery notification responsesignal indicating that the group owner may be delegated transmits asignal for group owner re-negotiation to the terminal A 300 and theterminal C 304 in step 320. Hence, the terminal A 300, the terminal B302, and the terminal C 304 perform the group owner re-negotiationprocedure. Herein, in the group owner re-negotiation procedure, aterminal capable of connecting all existing P2P terminals and a newterminal to participate in the P2P connection is determined as the groupowner terminal. If any one of the existing P2P terminals is notconnected for the sake of the connection of the new terminal, theconnection of the new terminal is rejected.

The terminal A 300, the terminal B 302, and the terminal C 304 build P2Pnetworks through a P2P connection procedure in step 322, and exchangepackets in step 324.

FIG. 4 illustrates operations of a mobile communication terminal servingas a slave terminal in a P2P connection according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, in step 401, the mobile communication terminaloperating as the slave terminal in the P2P connection examines whether aP2P discovery signal of another terminal is received in a process of theslave terminal operation. If the P2P discovery signal of the otherterminal is not received, the mobile communication terminal exchangespackets with terminals connected to the P2P communication in step 411.

In contrast, upon receiving the P2P discovery signal of the otherterminal, the mobile communication terminal transmits a P2P discoverynotification signal indicative of a detection of the P2P connectionattempt of the other terminal, to the group owner terminal in step 403.The P2P discovery notification signal may include an IDentifier (ID) ofthe other terminal.

In step 405, the mobile communication terminal determines whether asignal indicating that the group owner may be delegated is received fromthe group owner terminal in response to the P2P discovery notificationsignal. Upon receiving the signal indicating that the group owner may bedelegated, the mobile communication terminal performs a group ownerre-negotiation procedure with the group owner terminal and the otherterminal by transmitting a signal for the group owner re-negotiation tothe group owner terminal and the other terminal in step 407. As aresult, the group owner is designated to a terminal capable ofconnecting all existing P2P terminals and a new terminal to participatein the P2P connection. If any one of the existing P2P terminals is notconnected for the sake of the connection of the new terminal, the P2Pconnection of the new terminal may be rejected. For example, the groupowner is determined as a terminal capable of receiving signals from allexisting P2P terminals and the new terminal. The existing P2P terminalsand the new terminal each examine whether it may receive signals fromall of the existing P2P terminals and the new terminal, and inform ofthe result to the other terminal Consequently, the terminal receivingthe signals from all of the terminals may be determined as the groupowner terminal.

The mobile communication terminal builds a P2P network through the P2Pconnection procedure with the existing P2P terminals and the newterminal in step 409, and exchanges packets with the P2P terminals instep 411. In step 413, the mobile communication terminal determineswhether a P2P end event occurs. When the P2P connection end eventoccurs, the mobile communication terminal performs a P2P connection endprocedure and finishes the process. In contrast, when the P2P connectionend event does not occur, the mobile communication terminal returns tostep 401. Herein, when the mobile communication terminal is determinedas the group owner terminal in the group owner re-negotiation procedure,the mobile communication terminal operates as illustrated in FIG. 5,without returning to step 401. That is, when the mobile communicationterminal still serves as the slave terminal in the P2P connection, themobile communication terminal returns to step 401. When the mobilecommunication terminal is changed to the group owner terminal, itcarries out operations of FIG. 5.

Meanwhile, if the mobile communication does not receive the signalindicating that the group owner may be delegated, the mobilecommunication terminal determines whether a signal indicative of thedetection of the other terminal is received from the group ownerterminal in response to the P2P discovery notification signal in step415. Upon receiving the signal indicative of the detection of the otherterminal from the group owner terminal, the mobile communicationterminal exchanges packets with the P2P terminals in step 411. If themobile communication terminal does not receive the signal indicative ofthe detection of the other terminal, the mobile communication terminalreturns to step 405.

FIG. 5 illustrates operations of a mobile communication terminal servingas a group owner in a P2P connection according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, in step 501, the mobile communication terminaloperating as the group owner in the P2P connection examines whether aP2P discovery signal of another terminal is received in a process of agroup owner operation. Upon receiving a P2P discovery signal of theother terminal, the mobile communication terminal conducts the P2Pconnection procedure with the other terminal in step 515. Accordingly,the P2P connection procedure is carried out in the same manner as theconventional procedure. The mobile communication terminal exchangespackets with the P2P terminals in step 511.

If the mobile communication terminal does not receive the P2P discoverysignal of the other terminal, the mobile communication terminaldetermines whether a P2P discovery notification signal indicating that aP2P connection attempt of the other terminal is detected, is receivedfrom the terminal serving as the slave terminal in the P2P connection instep 503. If it is determined that the P2P discovery notification signalfrom terminal serving as the slave terminal is not received, the mobilecommunication terminal exchanges packets with the P2P terminals in step511.

In contrast, upon receiving the P2P discovery notification signal fromthe terminal operating as the slave terminal in step 503, the mobilecommunication terminal transmits a signal indicating the group owner maybe delegated, in response to the P2P discovery notification signal instep 505. Although it is not illustrated, when receiving the P2Pdiscovery signal of the other terminal and then receiving the P2Pdiscovery notification message from the slave terminal, the mobilecommunication terminal may determine that the group owner terminal andthe slave terminal receive the P2P discovery signal of the same terminalby comparing an ID of the P2P discovery notification message with the IDof the other terminal, and transmit the signal indicating that the otherterminal is detected, in response to the P2P discovery notificationsignal.

The mobile communication terminal transmitting the signal indicatingthat the group owner may be delegated in step 505, conducts the groupowner re-negotiation procedure with the slave terminal and the otherterminal in step 507. Accordingly, the group owner is designated to theterminal capable of connecting all existing P2P terminals and a newterminal to participate in the P2P connection. If any one of theexisting P2P terminals is not connected for the sake of the connectionof the new terminal, the P2P connection of the new terminal may berejected. For example, the group owner is determined as a terminalcapable of receiving signals from all of the existing P2P terminals andthe new terminal.

The mobile communication terminal builds the P2P network through the P2Pconnection procedure with the existing P2P terminals and the newterminal in step 509, exchange packets with the P2P terminals in step511, and determines whether a P2P end event occurs in step 513. If it isdetermined that the P2P connection end event occurs, the mobilecommunication terminal performs the P2P connection end procedure andfinishes the process. In contrast, if it is determined that the P2Pconnection end event does not occur, the mobile communication terminalreturns to step 501. Herein, when the mobile communication terminal isdetermined as the slave terminal in the group owner re-negotiationprocedure, the mobile communication terminal operates as illustrated inFIG. 4, without returning to step 501. That is, when the mobilecommunication terminal still serves as the group owner terminal in theP2P connection, the mobile communication terminal returns to step 501.When the mobile communication terminal is changed to the slave terminal,the mobile communication terminal carries out the operations of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a mobile communication terminal accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the mobile communication terminal of FIG. 6includes a communication module 600 and a controller 610. The controller610 includes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) controller 612and a P2P connection manager 614. Herein, the mobile communicationterminal is a terminal supporting not only a voice communicationfunction but also Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) using a wireless Local AreaNetwork (LAN).

The communication module 600 includes a block for communicating with acellular network and a block for communicating with the wireless LAN,and processes signals transmitted and received to and from a basestation or an Access Point (AP) over an antenna (not illustrated). Moreparticularly, the communication module 600 processes to transmit andreceive the signals for the P2P connection with another neighborterminal, and exchanges the packets with the P2P-connected terminalsunder the control of the controller 610.

The controller 610 controls and processes operations of the mobilecommunication terminal. By including the DHCP controller 612 forcontrolling the DHCP to support the P2P and the P2P connection manager614 for managing the P2P connection with the neighbor terminal, thecontroller 610 performs the P2P connection with the neighbor terminal,and controls and processes to connect with the other terminal using theP2P communication by detecting the P2P connection attempt of the otherterminal during the P2P connection. That is, when receiving the P2Pdiscovery notification signal notifying that the mobile communicationterminal in the P2P connection with the other terminal receives the P2Pdiscovery signal attempting the P2P connection from a new terminal, orreceives the P2P discovery signal of the new terminal from the otherterminal, the controller 610 functions for the P2P connection of the newterminal Herein, depending on whether the mobile communication terminalserved as a slave terminal or a group owner in an existing P2Pconnection, the controller 610 performs different operations to connectthe new terminal.

In a case where the mobile communication terminal functions in a slaveterminal mode in the existing P2P connection, if the P2P discoverysignal of the new terminal which is not connected in the existing P2Pcommunication is received, the controller 610 controls to transmit theP2P discovery notification signal to the terminal serving as the groupowner in the existing P2P connection. If the group owner delegablesignal from the group owner terminal is received, the controller 610determines the group owner by performing the group owner re-negotiationprocedure with the existing P2P-connected terminals and the newterminal, and controls and processes to exchange packets through the P2Pconnection procedure.

In a case where the mobile communication terminal functions in a groupowner mode in the existing P2P connection, when receiving the P2Pdiscovery signal of the new terminal which is not connected in theexisting P2P communication, the controller 610 conducts the same processas a conventional process to connect the new terminal to the P2Pcommunication. When receiving the P2P discovery notification signal fromthe terminal operating the slave terminal of the existing P2Pconnection, the controller 610 controls and processes to transmit thesignal indicating the group owner may be delegated to the terminaloperating as the slave terminal. The controller 610 determines the groupowner by performing the group owner re-negotiation procedure with theexisting P2P-connected terminals and the new terminal, and controls andprocesses to exchange packets through the P2P connection procedure.

Herein, the group owner is designated to the terminal capable ofconnecting all of the existing P2P terminals and the new terminal toparticipate in the P2P connection. If any one of the existing P2Pterminals is not connected for the sake of the connection of the newterminal, the connection of the new terminal is rejected. For example,the group owner is determined as the terminal capable of receivingsignals from all of the existing P2P terminals and the new terminal.

When the mobile communication terminal in the P2P connection detects theP2P connection attempt of another terminal, the mobile communicationterminal connects the other terminal to the P2P communication byre-negotiating the group owner terminal Therefore, a terminal travelingin the area connectable to the terminal serving as the slave terminal inthe P2P connection and out of the connection area to the terminalserving as the group owner can participate in the P2P connection.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference tocertain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: during a first connectionbetween a first device and a second device, receiving, at the firstdevice, a peer-to-peer (P2P) discovery signal transmitted by a thirddevice for a second connection between the first device and the thirddevice; while the first device does not operate as a host device afterthe first device receives the P2P discovery signal: transmitting, by thefirst device to the second device, a signal indicating that the P2Pdiscovery signal has been received, while the second device operates asthe host device, and after the first device transmits the signal,determining the first device as the host device; based on adetermination that the first device receives signals of the seconddevice and signals of the third device, while maintaining the firstconnection with the second device; and in response to determining thefirst device as the host device, establishing the second connectionbetween the first device and the third device.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein at least one of the first connection or the second connectioncomprises a P2P connection using a wireless local area network (LAN). 3.The method of claim 1, wherein the host device in the first connectioncomprises a group owner in the first connection.
 4. The method of claim1, further comprising the first device exchanging packets with one ofthe second device and the third device through at least one of the firstconnection or the second connection.
 5. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising, while the first device operates as the host device,establishing the second connection.
 6. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising, while the first device operates as the host device:determining whether the signal indicating that the P2P discovery signalhas been received at the first device is received, and in response toreceiving the signal indicating that the P2P discovery signal has beenreceived, transmitting, to the second device, a signal indicating thatthe third device is detected, based at least in part on a determinationthat an identifier (ID) included in the signal indicating that the P2Pdiscovery signal has been received is identical to an ID of the thirddevice.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, while the firstdevice operates as the host device, the ID of the third device includedin the signal indicating that the third device is detected, and the IDof the third device detected by the first device are not identical,transmitting, to the second device operating as a slave device, a signalto initiate a re-determining of the host device.
 8. An apparatuscomprising: a transceiver configured to, while a first device operatesas a host device, transmit, to the first device during a firstconnection between the apparatus and the first device, a signalindicating that a peer-to-peer (P2P) discovery signal transmitted by asecond device for a second connection between the apparatus and thesecond device has been received; and at least one processor, wherein theat least one processor is configured to, while the apparatus does notoperate as the host device: control the transceiver to receive the P2Pdiscovery signal transmitted by the second device during communicationwith the first device via the first connection, in response to receivingthe P2P discovery signal, control the transceiver to transmit, to thefirst device, the signal, and after transmitting the signal, determinethe apparatus as the host device based on a determination that theapparatus receives signals of the first device and signals of the seconddevice, while maintaining the first connection with the first device,and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, inresponse to determining the first device as the host device, control thetransceiver to establish the second connection between the apparatus andthe second device.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the host deviceis determined to receive signals of at least one of the first device orthe second device.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the host devicecomprises the first device prior to a host device re-negotiatingprocedure.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transceiver isfurther configured to exchange packets with at least one of the firstdevice or the second device connected to at least one of the firstconnection or the second connection.
 12. The apparatus of claim 8,wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive a signal, whichindicates that a P2P discovery signal of a third device has beenreceived, from the first device operating as the host device in thefirst connection.
 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transceiveris further configured to, while the apparatus operates as the hostdevice, perform a P2P connection procedure with the second device undercontrol of the at least one processor.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, while theapparatus operates as the host device: in response to the apparatusdetermining that the signal, which indicates that the P2P discoverysignal has been received, is received from the first device, the firstdevice operating as a slave device in the first connection, and inresponse to receiving the signal indicating that the P2P discoverysignal has been received, determine whether an identifier (ID) of thesecond device included in the signal received from the first device isidentical to an ID of the second device, and in response to determiningthat the ID of the second device included in the signal received fromthe first device and the ID of the second device detected by theapparatus are identical, control the transceiver to transmit a signal tothe first device operating as the slave device, the signal indicatingthat the second device is detected.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14,wherein the transceiver is further configured to, when the ID of thesecond device included in the signal received from the first device andthe ID of the second device detected by the apparatus are not identical,transmit a group owner delegable signal to the first device operating asthe slave device.
 16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least oneprocessor is further configured to control the transceiver to receivethe P2P discovery signal of the second device.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to,while the apparatus operates as the host device, establish the secondconnection with the second device.
 18. A non-transitory machine-readablestorage device storing instructions that, when executed by one or moreprocessors, cause the one or more processors to perform operationscomprising: during a first connection between a first device and asecond device, receiving, at the first device, a peer-to-peer (P2P)discovery signal transmitted by a third device for a second connectionbetween the first device and the third device; while the first devicedoes not operate as a host device in the first connection after thefirst device receives the P2P discovery signal: transmitting, by thefirst device to the second device, a signal indicating that the P2Pdiscovery signal has been received, while the second device operates asthe host device, and after the first device transmits the signal,determining the first device as the host device; based on adetermination that the first device receives signals of the seconddevice and signals of the third device, while maintaining the firstconnection with the second device; and in response to determining thefirst device as the host device, establishing the second connectionbetween the first device and the third device.